MillCirc Macros/shortcuts save time

Because my right arm was hurting from using the mouse all the time while using MillCirc, I created three Macros that utilize previously unused functions keys for all staff at CW to use.

F5 takes you to Circulation Desk, F6 takes you to Check-in and fn+F12 takes you to Search. Try it ... you'll like it! (We previously had those functions available and then they disappeared after we got the new MAC computers awhile ago.) I taped little reminder notes to the front of the staff computers listing these shortcuts.

How do I share my Nook Books with other Nook users?

This is easy to do.  Go to your Barnes and Noble account, and find your Nook's library.  Books available for lending will have a Lend Me icon.  Click on the Lend Me icon for the book you have selected.  This will bring up a window where you can type the email of the person you wish to lend to, as well as a message.  They will receive an email alerting them that a book is being lent to them.  The book can then be downloaded.  Books can be lent out for 14 days.

Don't Forget to Logout of Amazon.com

Make sure if you are helping a patron download a book to their kindle from a staff PC that you logout of their Amazon.com account when you are done! A patron and I were going through all the steps on how to download a book to her kindle and when we were ready to leave the the ALD/Overdrive page and get into her Amazon account, some how it was still logged into the previous patron's account. Without realizing the different names between the kindles we accidentally downloaded the book to a random patron's kindle. Whoops! It seems that if you don't logout from Amazon.com that the computer (even if you close the browser) will remember the last Amazon account user and download the book to that account. So we had to replace the hold for the original patron and hopefully the random patron that got the library book enjoyed it!

These Boots are Made for Walkin'

Especially for those of us at Southglenn, for which our NonFiction Neighborhoods are devoted to Leisure and Lifestyle subjects, I have discovered a new and very fun website.  It is http://www.strayboots.com/.  It was founded in New York City and is a creatively fun way to explore specific cities.  It is essentially a scavenger hunt whose clues lead the traveler/s to interesting areas in each city.
It works very simply.  The traveler/s: Receive fun challenges, Visit amazing places, Learn fun facts and Receive points in the hunt game.  Only a cell phone is required (not a Smart phone, but of course that would work too) since the clues are sent by text. 
Strayboots is available for the following cities: Boston, Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Nashville, New Orleans, New York City, Philadelphia, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, DC.  It is also available for the United Kingdom (UK) where it is known as "The Game".
The traveler/s purchase packages for each game similar to purchasing a guided tour of any area.  There are anywhere from 3-4 packages available for most locations with quite a few more in the largest cities.  Prices range from $10 for some kid's packages, $12 for most of the regular adult packages, $30-$36 for some of the combo packages for smaller cities up to $40 for the San Francisco Gold Rush Package and $75 for the NYC Explorer Package.  The pricing is per person.  This is a great creative option for exploring new areas whether it would be a single traveling alone, a couple, a family or various sized groups.  Each scavenger game takes between 2-3 hours to play, but there is not time limit.  It can be done at any pace, stopped and resumed later.  The traveler/s have one year from the date of purchase to participate in the game/s they have selected.
This is a great new source of information that you can pass along to your patrons when you see them browsing in the Travel area or ask you for travel information.  It would also be a very fun thing to do yourself.  I can't wait to take myself to a city I haven't visited and use this as a great way to become familiar with that city.

Easy kindle troubleshooting

A senior patron was having difficulty returning to her home page after downloading her books from the ALD website. She could not get to her home page to check if her book was downloaded. She had an older very simple Kindle, and the solution seemed simple. However, when I tried to get to her home page to check her account, indeed it was not simple. I pressed buttons and prodded a bit. Would you believe the solution was simply to press the back button, and press, and press, and press until we reached her her log in page? We relogged her into her account when the login page appeared. It seemed counter intuitive for such a simple solution. However, it seems like older Kindles like it simple. So when all else fails KISS- keep it simple silly! Hope this helps.

Is your computer infected?

In November the FBI was taking down a group of international hackers who had been running an Internet ad scam on a network of infected computers.  They had malicious software that turned off antivirus updates and changed the way computers reconcile website addresses.  The hackers made money from advertisements that appeard on websites victims were tricked into visiting.  The FBI realized that if they pulled the plug on the criminal infrastructure the victims would be without Internet service.  The user would  open up Explorer and find "page not found".  The FBI installed two Internet servers to take the place of the rogue servers the crooks were using.  These servers will be online until July.  The FBI is encouraging users to visit http://www.dcwg.org/ that will inform them if their computer is infected.  This is a website run by the FBI's security partner.  The website also has a more detailed description of what went on. After July 9 infected computers will not be able to connect to the Internet.

New patrons and technology

We are so used to all of our technological advances at the libary, that we may forget that new patrons may not know all of the technology available to them. I have made a habit of giving a brief tech intro to all new patrons. It's basic and simple, and everything we already know, but I'm always surprised by the oohs and aahs I get. However you choose to put your own spin on technology, just be assured it is appreciated by patrons more than we realize. I always begin with a tour of the Ald website, then show the down-loadable books and music, do a quick driveby of the new dvds available, show them evanced and the free classes and programs available, and finish with our databases. Then I ask if they have any questions, which device they own for downloadable books, and make them aware of our book a librarian service in case of snags. Patrons seem to appreciate the overview, and I enjoy sharing.

Secret Weapons for Struggling Readers

From 'Check it Out' magazine's Spring 2012 issue:  a statistic from Reading Rockets, a national multimedia literary initiative, over 40% of kids regard reading as a challenge and according to Deb Simmons, prof. of special educ. at Texas A & M Univ., the window of opportunity to become a successful reader often closes early, often by the end of 1st grade.  Reading Rockets article "Benefits of Audiobooks for All Readers" feels that children, adults, & patrons can be turned into readers for life, even if they don't like or can process the written word, by a variety of technology tactics which make the context more interesting, convenient and engaging.  Audiobooks, tablet computers, mp3 players and eReaders present excellent opportunities because of the variety of delivering the words, accessibility of anytime, anyplace, highlighted text, etc. and the tech interest of  savvy children in general.   These tools are powerful weapons against illiteracy and carry the common goal of encouraging reading no matter how old the patron is or how it's achieved.

Five Ways to use "LINKEDIN"

The social networking site-"LINKEDIN" focuses on business and professional contacts.  Here are five ways to use "LINKEDIN" to your advantage.  1. Find a Job-Linkedin is a favorite place for recruiters and headhunters.  2. Build a Professional Relationship-Linkedin lets you branch out and make new business connections in your field. 3. Conduct research-you can search a particular industry or a specific company- you can even check out a company before you go in for an interview. 4. Seek Advice-you can aks questions in Linkedin Answers to just about any question. 5. Establish a Group-You can form group pertaining to a specific topic or industry, get others to join the group and do debates, discussions and learn from one another.

AT &T MYstery Data Usage

I read this article in the Macworld Best of Best about smart phones and I Phone. AT&T claims. Many smart phone and I phone are always on data devices. They  establish a data connection with our network and keep it open even if their is no data being  transmitted. If you do not end the daily session, it is recorded during a nightly feed to the billing system. THe data session can contain billing for all the data that was transmited throught out the day. When your phone goes to sleep, its wi-fi connection is typically terminated, but the 3G connection remains active.If information is transmitted over the internet while the iphone is asleep, that data will go over 3G even if you have an active wi-fi network that the  iphoine would use in its waking state. So at nght to prervent further  excessive usage. On your phone, go to Setting-General-Network, and turn off Cellular Data.

A Google-a-Day Keeps the Doctor Away

Did you know that Google posts a daily puzzle to increase your googling mastery?  For example:

Today's Question

The artist who painted "Il Cenacolo" (aka "Ultima Cena") invented a device to monitor changes in humidity. What was it?

Using the A Google a Day's website you can search without bringing up any spoiler alerts posted by other authors.  Happy Searching!

http://agoogleaday.com/

Heard about 3-D printing?

One of the newest tech developments is 3-D printing, and it's very cool.  Oli has spoken about 3-D printers a couple of times, wondering when ALD can get one...  Toy manufacturers might be a bit nervous; soon parents - or their tech savvy kids - might be able to make their own toys.  See the YouTube videos below for a couple of examples of 3-D printers:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmDz7Q9_h6c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdzooQQDWGg

Hunger Games can be read on computer

A patron told me he was reading Hunger Games on his computer. So I asked him how he can do that. He showed me to go to http://www.onread.com/ and then in the search box put 'Hunger Games'. When you see the picture of the Hunger Games Click on "read on line' under the book. It will ask you to download the book which costs money, so you just click X to Download which means No, and that will go away. Then in the top center it will say Read Online and click on the center.

You can start reading the book by turning the pages by clicking on the right side to turn pages. After about 10 pages it will say something like 'too many people are reading this book-download now'. Right under that it will say 'Please try again' and click on that. I went on to page 100 by just clicking 'Please try again' after about each 10 pages.

This is easy once you get the idea of it and available for our teen patrons who want to read the book now!

Deleting expired books from Nooks

If a patron's book(s) has expired and is no longer on the Nook, but the cover pictures still remain: Go to My Computer, choose Nook, choose Folders, choose My ebooks, choose the title(s) and then delete. A patron was frustrated and confused that the cover pictures were still there in her "library" even though the actual book had been read and was gone.

E-book Prices and DRM

Have you noticed that when you purchase an ebook you're losing certain priveleges and yet paying the same amount? E-books these days cost just as much as their physical counterparts, except you can't easily lend them or resell them. Without the costs of paper and ink, why don't e-books cost less? This article examines some of the problems associated with limiting our reading to digital content.

Smartphones are stressing everyone out!

"Yikes! Did I just get a text message, or did I imagine I just got a text message?"

A new study has found that smartphones can actually increase people's stress levels. The reason is that smartphones produce "a relentless need to immediately review and respond to each and every incoming message, alert or bing."

The stress gets so bad for some users that they actually begin to feel phantom vibrations, thinking their phone is buzzing when it isn't.

"Smart phone use is increasing at a rapid rate and we are likely to see an associated increase in stress from social networking."
Tom Stafford, a lecturer at the University of Sheffield, believes smartphone "addiction" stems from the same place as gambling problems.

"Both slot machines and email follow something called a 'variable interval reinforcement schedule,' which has been established as the way to train in the strongest habits. This means that rather than reward an action every time it is performed, you reward it sometimes, but not in a predictable way. So with email, usually when I check it there is nothing interesting, but every so often there’s something wonderful – an invite out, or maybe some juicy gossip - and I get a reward."

Want to feel more stressed? Read this.

Y'all can have your smartypants phones. I'll stick with my dumbphone for as long as possible.

The Hokey Pokey Clinic

Are you having a bad week? You might want to check into The Hokey Pokey Clinic: A Place to Turn Yourself Around. 
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/_jW3L1dyEfY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
And that, friends, as they say, is what it's all about.

Amazon now lets you trade in your old CDs

Amazon's Trade-In Program will now include CDs , the company has announced. Until recently, it was available for a large range of electronics, such as iPads, but it is the first time that users have been able to trade recorded music for Amazon's gift cards.
While customers can use these cards to buy anything they'd like, Amazon seems hopeful that many of them opt for buying MP3s from its digital music store.
The Trade-In Program at www.amazon.com will show all trade-in choices (books, video games, movies & TV, electronics and music). However, for the CD trade-in, you first have to make sure your CDs are eligible - though you can search for multiple titles at once, which makes the process slightly less painful.
Once your list is ready, you can ship your package to Amazon at no cost, and you will get the corresponding amount as an Amazon Gift Card upon receipt of your shipment.
As you will notice, these trade-in titles are actually purchased by a third-party merchant, and not by Amazon itself;  "at the moment , Amazon does not resell used CDs, though a variety of used and like new offerings are available through [its] marketplace,"  the company has said.

Bacon, Bacon Everybody Loves Bacon!

The Better Bacon Book for iPad Guides You to Perfect Pork Preparation

Everyone loves bacon, but not everyone loves burnt, sandy bacon that's been in the oven or in the pan too long. If you want to up your bacon game and learn a bit more about proper pork preparation in the process, the Better Bacon Book, designed specifically for iPad, can help.

Part cookbook, part DIY guide the Better Bacon Book is an iPad app that will help you cook the most delicious bacon you've ever had, and also help you understand how to buy pork in general, walks you through different cuts of meat, how to prepare certain cuts of meat, how to carve your own portions and servings, and even video guides on how to make your own bacon and pancetta, along with a great explanation for why you should make your own instead of just picking up a rasher from the grocery store. The book includes what to look for when you're shopping, interactive recipes from professional chefs, tutorial videos, a step-by-step to building your own trash can smoker, and more.

The Better Bacon Book is available in the iTunes Store for $4.99.

Before You Know It

Did you know there's a new place to look for Before You Know It, the language teaching resource? It's now known asTransparent Language Online with byki. You can find it under the alphabetical list for research databases or under DYI where the list is much shorter.

How do I get my word document on my iphone?

I had a patron who was wanting to save his word document on to his iphone, and then be able to send it to others from there. He needed to download an app for this. Here are some options: Documents to Go apphttp://itunes.apple.com/us/app/documents-to-go-office-suite/id317117961?mt=8 it costs $9.99 or you can upgrade to premium for $7.99 more. So, I kept looking for a less expensive option. Another option is the Windows SkyDrive app http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/skydrive/id477537958?mt=8 this app is free. He took the information home with him to try, and I have not seen him to ask how it went. So far, this app is available for apple products only, so android users are still waiting.

eFlicks

I recently went to Denver Public as a patron, and decided to browse their catalog of eBooks. Believe it or not, DPL also provides eFlick movies for download. The collection looks like it is mostly comprised of classics, non-fiction, independent movies, and some children's movies. I find the idea intriguing, but I think the service is very limited. You can only watch the overdrive downloads on your PC or a few WMV supported portable devices, such as ZEN media players or Sony Walkman media players. I can imagine how popular this service would be in libraries if people could watch these items on their TV, i-devices, or other smart phones and tablets, and if there were more mainstream titles available. But that would simply make us a Netflix.:)

http://downloadmedia.denverlibrary.org/F6436E5B-58D2-4206-999D-1FDB05CFBD61/10/274/en/BrowseVideo.htm

Khan Academy learning tool

khanacademy.org is the place to go for learning mathematical equations, science and history as well as many other subjects. Math is explained and illustrated on a virtual blackboard. There are also practice exercises to help you put your new knowledge to work. This can be an additional source for students who also use Learning Express.

Entertainment Software Rating

Your kids love to play those video games but you think some are too racey for his or her age.  On each game box is a large black letter(eC,E,10E,T,M,A0).  These stand for eC-Early Childhood, E-Everyone, 10E-everyone over 10, T-Teen, M-Mature 17+, and A0-Adults Only-18+.  You can learn about these ratings at ESRB.org

Get Rid of the Yellow PSSTerm Bar in your Remote Desktop

Have you ever opened up a program in your remote desktop and the PSSTerm yellow toolbar blocks the minimize/maximize/close buttons or important information? I noticed that there is a thumbtack in the left hand corner, if it's pressed 'in' and facing down, that makes the yellow toolbar a permanent display. If you click on the thumbtack and it turns to the left, it will hide the yellow toolbar. This way it won't block or get in the way of any window you decide to open! If you want to get it back all you have to do is click in the area where it was located and it will magically reappear. Just a helpful hint!

Zombies, Run!

Now you can combine exercise, storytelling, and games via the Zombies, Run! app. Set in a post-apocalyptic world, you need to rebuild the "ruins of civilization by collecting critical supplies while avoiding roving zombie hordes." Start the app shortly before jogging/running (i.e. on a treadmill or outdoors), and you can listen to the storyline and collect points via the miles you run. After, you can go into your app and use your points to purchase and distribute the supplies to your bases. This app is available on iPhone and will be available for Android spring 2012. Exercise will never be boring again.

BBC Languages

Do you have a patron interested in learning foreign languages? BBC Languages is great resource for people of all ages seeking to speak a different languages What's great about this website is that there are over 50 different languages and everything from key phrases, online video courses, crossword puzzles, and foreign langage TV--all for free! So, the next time you head over to the foreign language audiobooks, take a second to check out this website.

Just for Fun

Movie quizzes, geography, NFL, catch phrases, lyrics. All of these quizzes are a change from crossword puzzles during your lunch break. I like Countries of the World which gives you 12 minutes to name all the countries you can. Quizzes range from easy to challenging. The only competitor is yourself. Find these quizzes at www.jetpunk.com

NeoOffice on our Macs

Recently we had a patron come into Southglenn wanting to use the Mac to edit a .PAGES file that they had been working on. We assumed that since it was a Mac created document it could be edited on that computer. But the Mac does not include the iWork suite, it actually uses a program called NeoOffice, a free software download. According to this wiki for the program, NeoOffice does not support .PAGES files for opening, editing, or saving.

http://neowiki.neooffice.org/index.php/NeoOffice_File_Formats

I would suggest to Mac user patrons that they save their text documents in both .PAGES and .doc or .docx formats when they plan to edit it on a different computer- just to cover all of their bases.

Patrons with accents in their name - Millennium and Prospector

A Spanish speaking patron at SG wanted to request a Prospector item. I entered his last name and library card number into Prospector and was rejected because the "information submitted was not correct." I double checked the spelling of his last name in Millennium and it contained an accent on the E or the A. I could not figure out how to enter his name into Prospector with the accents. I ended up using his first name because it did not have an accent.
Then, in a wonderfully collaborative effort, I asked a Spanish speaking PSS from May (Carina), to show me how the heck we do accents with the Apple keyboards. Here is her immensely helpful response.

"In Spanish when we write we always need to put written accents and tilde and in that way words will have the correct meaning.
For instance: if you write “papa”, “Papa” and “papá” they seems to be the same word, but the first one “papa” (without written accent) means “potatoe”, “Papa” with capital letter means “Pope” and “papá”  (with written accent) means “daddy”. For that reason it is very important to write those always.
Also we also use written accents just for vowels and tilde for a consonant.
For English people is easy to use the computer English keyboard and you can get those written accents and tilde using the following list (please press “alt” key and at the same time a number and then release them at the same time and you will get those well):
1)       á = alt + 160
2)       é = alt + 130
3)       í = alt + 161
4)       ó = alt + 162
5)       ú = alt + 163
6)       ñ = alt + 164
(The alt key is also labeled "option")."
So Bravo! to Carina for helping us learn a new way to better serve our patrons and to honor them with correct spelling of their names.
P.S. I just tried this with my Mac laptop and it didn't seem to work. Perhaps the keyboard with the external 10-key is the only way?

Does your child monopolize your iPad?

"Entertainment Weekly" recently highlighted "5 Fabulous Kids' Book Apps". They are mostly for the iPad; all look like loads of fun - for kids of ALL ages! They include high-tech pop-up activities of "Alice in Wonderland" and "Pat the Bunny" activities for the youngest.

Here's the link:
http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20570585,00.html

Printing in Excel

Today a patron approached me after printing a file in Excel. She didn't understand why the last line of the spreadsheet was cut off when she printed it. Were the margins too small? Was the last line outside of the print area? Nope. Her spreadsheet was only 12 lines long.

So, in order to print that last line I highlighted the entire spreadsheet that she needed to print, clicked on "Page Layout" on the top tabs, and then selected "Print Area." From here you can clear the current print area (obviously set to not allow the final line to print) and set the print area. Tada.